Living Well IDEAS

Placing a loved one in a senior home can be a difficult moment to experience, especially if the loved one is not thrilled about the situation. Once they are settled in, however, you do have to be vigilant that their health is not being negatively impacted by neglect or abuse. Some elderly do develop conditions that make it difficult to care for them, but this is a reason why you seek a senior home that employs staff who can care for specific conditions, lifestyles and requirements. Here are three ways to protect your elderly loved ones in senior homes.

Visit OftenThe best way to ensure your loved one is doing well in a senior home is to visit them often. If you let too much time pass between visits, you may not notice minor scratches or bruises. If they are occurring frequently, you have to start asking questions. When you visit often, you can spot changes in personality, health and mood much more quickly, too. While the expectation is that the staff will always notice minor changes, the patient and you will always be the best advocates for your loved one. Then, you can speak with the medical professionals about what you are noticing. Your goal is to ensure care is keeping up withany conditions they haveor are developing. It is well-documented that the elderly benefit from family visits.

Familiarize Yourself with Laws That Protect the ElderlyIn recent years,new laws to prevent and punish elder abusehave been passed at a federal level, enabling the protection of a vulnerable section of the population. If you have concerns, you have the option to speak with an ombudsman. This professional is a neutral third party assigned to go investigate complaints and claims. Rules and laws mandate senior care facilities keep accurate medical records, provide adequate supervision during all activities and access to assistive medical devices.

Review Financial RecordsProtecting your loved onealso involves reviewing their financial records. Accidents can happen, and the senior home may overcharge for a service or payment. The elderly are also easy victims of identity fraud and theft. Reviewing their financials at regular intervals means you can spot odd charges or purchases early.

Helping your loved ones to feel comfortable and safe is so important in these modern times. You never know what kinds of things might come up as a potential danger, so it’s important to always be prepared.That's why it is essential todo your research when placing a loved one in an assisted living facility.Choose one that has good reviews and proper accreditation. To protect elderly loved ones, visit often, familiarize yourself with laws that protect them and keep an eye on their financials.

The standards of senior homes have grown over the years. Many senior citizens find these environments to be welcoming and a pleasure to stay in. This article provides you with important information to help you find one for your loved one that's both comfortable and attentive.

If a parent or another loved one is getting older and unable to care for themselves, you have the difficult task of finding a home for them to live in. The best senior homes are attentive to their residents and treat them with dignity. Before you have them move into a particular home, you need to ask these important questions.

Is the Location Clean?The appearance of a senior home says a lot about it. If you're looking at a home and it's visibly unkempt, you should look elsewhere. While no place will be spotless, there is still a general amount of upkeep that needs to adhere to. The bathrooms, bedrooms, dining area, and other rooms need to be maintained. You should also be on the alert for any foul odors or unsettling sounds. Keep a list of any senior homes you tour and what sort of sights stick out in a bad way. If the proprietors can't treat their building well, how can they be expected to treat their residents well?

Is the Staff Happy?A disgruntled or apathetic staff can really cast a pall over a senior home. It can also signify a dangerous environment. Happy staff who genuinely care for their charges are less likely to participate in theneglect or abuse of seniors. Take a look around to see not only how the staff looks but also the residents. You want your loved one to be in the care of people who want the best for others. Anyone who would put their safety at risk or would be reluctant to offer anything but half-hearted assistance should not be considered. Every person, no matter what their age is, deserves to be treated with respect.

Is It Fun?A senior home should not just be a place for people to live out their twilight years. It should also be a place where they canhave fun and relax. Take a look at what sort of recreation is available. Things like exercise classes and live music performances can really liven the spirits of residents. You should also speak with residents about what they like about living there.

The standards of senior homes have grown over the years. Many senior citizens find these environments to be welcoming and a pleasure to stay in. You can find one for your loved one that's comfortable and attentive. Take the time to research as much as possible so that they can be set up with the best senior home possible.

Want more content about senior care and senior living? We have you covered. Check out our relevant articles inThe Senior Living IDEA. ​

Declining temperatures can bring fun, cool-weather activities, but they also mean cold and flu season is lurking. While everyone hopes to stay healthy, it can be difficult to completely avoid viruses and bugs. These simple suggestions can help your family plan for cold and flu season.

7 Ways to Plan for Cold and Flu Season

(Family Features) Declining temperatures can bring fun, cool-weather activities, but they also mean cold and flu season is lurking. While everyone hopes to stay healthy, it can be difficult to completely avoid viruses and bugs.

Dr. Deborah Gilboa, a board-certified family physician and Braun spokesperson, offers some simple suggestions to help your family plan for cold and flu season.

Dispose of Expired Medicine
Spend some time checking the medications you already have at home. Review the expiration dates and if any need to be thrown out, research how to properly dispose of them according to local government guidelines.

Stock Up
Before cold and flu season, make sure to stockpile must-haves like ginger ale, ice pops and recommended cough suppressants. Thinking ahead means you won’t have to rush out when you or a family member comes down with something.

Practice Healthy Habits
Encourage the entire family to maintain healthy habits such as regular hand washing, following a nutritious diet, drinking plenty of water, and coughing or sneezing into a tissue to help minimize the spread of cold and flu viruses.

Use a Reliable Thermometer
Reading the temperature of a person who feels ill can help provide confidence and peace of mind. Make sure you have a reliable thermometer like the Braun ThermoScan 5 Ear thermometer, which takes professionally accurate temperature readings via the ear canal and, based on a survey, is the number 1 brand recommended by pediatricians who recommend a brand of thermometers.

“It’s important to carefully monitor potential illnesses to make sure children get and stay well, and taking an accurate temperature reading is a necessary part of this process, which is why I trust my Braun thermometer,” Gilboa said. “As a doctor and a mom to four boys, it gives me the confidence to know that I’m accurately taking my child’s temperature before I take any next steps, like administering medication.”

Have Important Information on Hand
To save time when your child is ill, keep a reference of your child’s allergies, prescribed medications, dosage amounts and current weight handy. Health care providers typically need this information to correctly prescribe and dose most medications. Other items to keep on-hand include school sick day policies, operating manuals for medical devices and a reference of temperature readings that classify a fever.

Manage Humidity Levels
Control your home’s humidity levels with a humidifier to help prevent the survival of flu viruses on surfaces and in the air.

Keep Contact Information Accessible
Keep a list of important phone numbers and addresses inside your medicine cabinet door or on the fridge so they’re easily accessible to family members, babysitters and caretakers. Include your family doctor or local clinic, schools, pharmacists and anyone else you may need to reach in an emergency.

If cold or flu reach your household this winter, it’s always important to consult a doctor if you have any questions regarding the health of your family members. For more information, visit braunthermometers.com.

A break from the regular school routine may be a welcome change, but for many teens, summer is just as busy as the school year. Jobs, athletic activities and social events can keep that so-called “break” jam-packed with action. Time management is essential, but there are some other easy steps teens can take to save time and make sure there’s at least a little room left to kick back and enjoy all that summer has to offer.

5 Time-Savers for Busy Teens

(Family Features) A break from the regular school routine may be a welcome change, but for many teens, summer is just as busy as the school year. Jobs, athletic activities and social events can keep that so-called “break” jam-packed with action.

Time management is essential, but there are some other easy steps teens can take to save time and make sure there’s at least a little room left to kick back and enjoy all that summer has to offer.

Get organized. Precious minutes tick away while searching for lost keys or phones, or finding the perfect shirt for a night out with friends. Taking a little time to get organized will pay off in the long run. Create a specific place, such as a shelf or basket, to hold items that get used every day so you always know where to look. Also take time to put away laundry and hang clothes, and skip the wasteful rummaging that results from an untidy room and closet.

Be prepared. Even when you’re on the go, taking care of yourself is important. Create a portable pack, whether you’re headed out for a day at the beach or an impromptu camping trip, because pimples are unpredictable and can appear at a moment’s notice. Make sure your skin stays clean and clear by including an easy-to-use, mess-free OXY On-The-Go Acne Stick, which is conveniently packaged in a slim, solid form and clinically proven to kill acne-causing bacteria so you can spot-treat acne at any time. Learn more at oxyskincare.com.

Use screen time wisely. It’s easy to get sucked into hours of catching up on social media or pulled into a game where you’re trying to conquer just one more achievement. Avoid getting yourself into a time crunch by simply setting down your phone or controller when you have other obligations. Save the screen time for a break or treat it as a reward for accomplishing a task.

Keep a schedule. Flitting from one spot to the next all summer long can make it tough to keep track of where you’re supposed to be and when. Writing down details like your work schedule and game times can help ensure you never miss a beat. You can also use your schedule to keep track of to-dos like registering for fall classes or chores around the house.

Make time for meals. Skipping meals isn’t only unhealthy, it’s likely to slow you down when you get hungry and have to stop for a snack at an inconvenient time. Look for healthy on-the-go foods that you can eat in transit, or dedicate a little time one day a week to prepare snacks and meals for the week ahead so you can still stay nourished when you’re in a time crunch.

A busy summer may not feel like much of a vacation, but if you work to manage and save time where you can, you’ll be able to carve out some much needed rest and relaxation.